Steerable and reversible toy vehicle



Jan. 4, 1938. K. FUCHS 2,104,365

STEERABLE AND REVERsiBLE TOY VEHICLE Filed Aug. 17, 1956 nveniar:

Patented Jan. 4,

PATENT OFFICE STEERABLE AND REVERSIBLE TOY VEHICLE Karl Fuchs," Nuremberg, Germany Application August 1'7, 1936, Serial No. 96,449

i In Germany August 21, 1935 a 4 Claims. (01. 46-211) This invention relates to a reversible and steerable toy vehicle with an auxiliary driven steering or reversing wheel oscillatable about a iulcrum at a uniform distance from the driving shaft by means of a slidable rack, which wheel is turned when a bumper rigidly connected with the push rod or rack comes into contact with an obstacle, so that the vehicle is automatically steered laterally.

According to the invention, for the purpose of laterally steering the toy vehicle, the reversing or steering wheel oscillatable about a driving axle, isconnected with a rack or push rod in such a manner that, when the bumper rigidly connected with the push rod comes into contact with an obstacle, for example a wall, the steering wheel is swung about the driving axle and the vehicle describes a curve corresponding to the angular displacement of the steering wheel. An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 shows the toy vehicle, for example a motor, car in side elevation, with the side wall broken away.

Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the steering wheel partly turned.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the steering Fig. 5 shows the toy in front elevation with the front wallpartly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the toywith the top wall partly broken away to show the spring pressing forwards the rack or push rod.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on a larger scale l3 and U-shape'd carrier 2 The front wheels of the toy vehicle, for example a motor car only lightly touch the track. The oscillatable steering wheel I is constructed as driving wheel and situated as tarforward as possible.

The .two rear wheels l9 are not driven and run loosely on their axle, they only serve for maintaining a state of equilibrium.

The steering or reversing wheel l is provided with a lateral toothed rim It which meshes with a pinion 6 keyed on the driving. shaft- I: so that. r when the driving shaft l3, which is rigidly connected with" the spring motor 9, is turned, the steering or running wheel is likewise turned.

The axle ll on which the steering wheel is rotatably mounted. is fixed in the oscillatable.

55 U-shaped carrier 2, which carries rigid bushes rier 2 with the driven wheel completely turned into reversing position.

ed on a pin 8 on the push through the steering wheels I with driving axle l5 and 16 in which the rotating driving axle l3 runs absolutely freely. The steering wheel I can therefore rotate freely and no friction or jamming can occur on the bearing bushes I5 and I6 for the driving axle 13. The bush I6 is fixed on the spring motor and the bush I5 is fixed in the carrier 2 and supported by a bracket ll so that these two bushes support the oscillatable U-shaped bracket 2 so that it can easily turn about the shaft I 3 and no jamming can occur.

A pinion 5 is fixed on the upper end of the oscillatable carrier 2 carrying the axle H on which the steering wheel is rotatably mounted and this pinion meshes with a rack formed on one wall of a slot at the inner end of a pu'sh rod 4 extending through an aperture in the front of the toy and carrying on its front end a transverse bar ,constructed as a bumper 3, irrespectively of whether the toy 'is constructed to simulate a motor car; beetle or the like. 20

If, when the toy is running, the bumper 3 comes into contact with an obstacle, the rack push rod 4 will be pushed towards the rear of the toy (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4). Thus, the carsteering wheel will be oscillated through the intermediary of the pinion 5 so that the toy will veer to one side or run backwards.

The rack push rod 4 is acted upon by a spring 1 or a weight which tends to return the rod into its initial position (Fig. 6). Thus, the steering 'or reversing wheel I and the carrier 2 will altowards which the vehicle turns. a

Whe the vehicle is constructed to simulate 'a beet e, mouse or the like, a slidable or oscillatable feeler, head or the like may be provided instead of the transverse bar or bumper 3.

In order to obtain an easy reversal of the Vehicle it is advisableto mount the axle carrying the rear wheels I! slightly inclined in the turning direction of the vehicle as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. This presents the advantage that the toy, owing to the slightly inclined posibumper 3 is arranged on the side of the vehicle a tion of the rear axle, can small surface.

I claim:-

easily turn on a very 1. A reversible and steerable toy, comprising to said carrier when said rod encounters an obstacle and rotate said pinion and turn said carrier with said steering and reversing wheel about said vertical shaft.

2. In a'reverslble and steerable toy as specified in claiin 1' a-spring tending to return the push rod intoits initial position.

3. Ina reversible and steerable toy as specified in claim 1 a transverse bar constructed as a butter fixed on the front end of the push rod, a roller on one end of said transverse bar adapted to run along the obstacle encountered, and impart a gentle turning movement to the steering and reversing wheel, and a sharp edge formed on the other end of said bar adapted to engage the obstacle and impart a strong turning movement to the steering and reversing wheel, said edge being arranged on the side towards which the vehicle runs.

4. In a reversible and steerable toy as specified in claim 1 a horizontal rear axle arranged at a slight incline to the longitudinal axis of the toy in the turning direction thereof.

KARL FUCHS. 

